Adding cereal to formula - Did you? To help your baby sleep!

Mom2BNTN wrote: I was wondering if anyone here was given permission by the pediatrician to give your baby a little bit of cereal in their formula to help them (as well as the parents) get a better nights sleep. My Mom had to put some cereal and applesauce in my formula when I was 6 weeks old and my cousin was just told to put some cereal in her sons formula who is just a week older then our son Dylan. The cereal made me sleep better Mom said and my cousin's baby is also sleeping better. My husband and I thought it would also help Dylan sleep better at night. If this has also worked for me please let me know.

my2monkeyboys replied: I have heard of doctors telling people this, but a lot of them also think that it's better to wait until they are at least 4 months old before introducing cereal, due to an immature digestive system. My opinion is that if you have a real problem with them not sleeping, then ask your doctor about it. Some people are quick to do it though even when the baby has a normal sleep pattern, just to try to make them sleep more. My cousin did this when her middle son was about 4 weeks old. He really slept ok to start with, just not as much as she wanted him to. It ended up that she was up half the night with him for a few nights because it was giving him a tummy ache, so she stopped and he was fine then. If your Dylan is not sleeping well, then by all means ask your doctor. In my opinion though it just isn't worth risking a belly ache and all normally, kwim?
Hope this helps!

PrairieMom replied: I have heard that this is a huge no no. Baby's tummys aren't ready to digest solid food yet, so they can get belly aches, and I have also heard that it is a choking risk.

That being said, on the advice of a pediatric pulmonologist I added cereal to the Boy's bottle at about 3 months for reflux. It did help his reflux problem, but he ended up with some major constipation problems. We had problems with it until he was 6 months old and they finally started giving him meds for it. He had blody stools and everything.

Long story short, I would deffinately talk to your Ped. about it, and do your own research first.

My3LilMonkeys replied: We did for both of our children, both at the Dr.'s orders and neither time to help them sleep. Brooke's was for reflux and Madison's because of her unusually large appetite (a 6 oz bottle every 1 1/2 to 2 hours - at 6 weeks old.)

MyLuvBugs replied: We never saught permission from a Dr. to add Cereal to formula. We just did it with my mom, grandma and MIL giving advice..... But we read up a lot on it first too.

MomToJade&Jordan replied: I started giving Jade rice cereal by spoon at 4 months because someone told me it would help her sleep longer. In really just caused her constipation. If I had it all to do again I would have waited until she was 6 months. Their tummies are just not ready to digest solids yet. I would ask you Doctor, but personally I would wait.

pinniy replied: I started adding just a little bit of cereal to Trei-Trei's formula when he was about 4 weeks. I checked with his ped, and he said it was okay, because Trei-Trei had an unusually large appetite, and that as long as I introduced it to him very gradually, it would be okay. Basically, anything new for/with Trei-Trei, I've done gradually and consistently, that way, his body could adjust, whether it was sleeping patterns, eatting habits, new foods, etc.

Good luck!

1lilpeanut2love replied: I never added rice cereal to the bottle. I started table spooning it to her at about 4 months. Kaylee started sleeping through the night at about 2 months without the cereal anyways. My grandmother who is 70 and has 7 kids never put rice cereal in a bottle either. I took her advice and didn't either!

luvmykids replied: We did with Colt at about 8 weeks, just a tablespoon so it was still totally liquid and we had the doc's ok. I know it's controversial but we didn't have any problems.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: Nope, I never added cereal to a bottle and won't with the next one.

holley79 replied: After reading about open gut on Kelly Mom I wouldn't do it. It's totally up to you though. I personally just load Annika up as best I can with BM.

Edward's Mommy replied:
We did the same. Of course SIL had a fit when she found out we did it. But she also yelled at me because my milk dried up and I could nurse Edward.

LoganAndAubreesMommy replied: My daughter had a bad case of reflux. At two or three weeks the pediatrician told us to put one tsp of cereal per ounce of milk in her bottle. Her reflux dramatically improved...so I would say it sould be ok.

my2monkeyboys replied: As you can see, there is a lot of different stories about this. I would just talk to your ped, and make the decision based on what you're told and (most importantly) what your gut instinct tells you. I'm sure you'll make the right decision (whatever it may be) for you and your baby.

Mom2BNTN replied: Thanks for all of your advice. I will only do what is best for Dylan.

Cece00 replied: I did it with my first, ppl telling me it would help him sleep. (I was 19, I didnt really know better) It didnt work.

I read up on it later, and stopped doing it. I didnt do it with my 2nd and not with my 3rd and I wont do it this time.

Honestly, unless a DOCTOR tells you to do so for a medical reason, I wouldnt suggest doing that.

garrettsmom replied: I give Garrett rice cereal in his nighttime bottle only. He also has reflux, and ped said the "heaviness" of the mixture will help to keep it down when he's lying flat.

Bee_Kay replied: Yep, we did with both Ashley and Tyler.

Just added a little bit of rice cereal (with the OK of the doctor). Ashley was so pukey that the dr said it would help to thicken it up a bit and it worked. Tyler had such an appetite, that it would help him sleep a little longer/better at nighttime. We started adding the cereal to the formula at about 4 - 6 weeks and they both did wonderful with it.